Cost of Living (episode)
Lwaxana Troi takes an interest in Worf's son Alexander and encourages him to adopt her carefree ways. Summary The ''Enterprise'' destroys an asteroid in danger of colliding with an inhabited planet. Meanwhile, Worf brings his son Alexander Rozhenko before Counselor Deanna Troi to resolve discipline issues. Troi decides there is little respect in their relationship, so she recommends they draft a "contract" outlining each other's responsibilities and chores. This way, they could stand on equal footing and both have say in what needs to be done. Although Worf is hesitant to allow Alexander to have equal footing, he agrees to it. Lwaxana Troi comes aboard to hold her wedding ceremony to a local nobleman named Campio on the Enterprise. Picard expresses to Riker his dissatisfaction with "that woman" using the Enterprise as her personal rec room, as a Nitrium parasite begins to infest the ship. Lwaxana hears of her daughter's plan for Worf and Alexander, and she notes that contracts are usually made between two parties who do not trust one another, and that it would not be equal in any case because Alexander would have no way of policing Worf's commitments. This logic compels Alexander to begin to spend more time with Lwaxana. Lwaxana takes Alexander into the holodeck for entertainment, despite his prior obligations to his father and Troi. She takes him on the Parallax Colony program, a society of unusual, fun-loving souls, for a relaxing mud bath. Troi and Worf confront Lwaxana, demanding that she stop undermining their efforts to instill Alexander with responsibility. Campio proves himself to be an ill fit for Lwaxana, demanding that she resolve business before she goes to the holodeck for fun, and that she address him with respect and reverence. Campio's assistant, a man named Erko, is appalled by her behavior. Lwaxana, caught at the hub of three completely different conversations all taking place in the same room at the same time, flees with Alexander to the holodeck the moment everyone's backs are turned. The parasite begins to infest the entire ship, eating systems away. La Forge, Data, and Picard devise a strategy to get rid of it - find an asteroid field rich in nitrium, and use the deflector dish to send a nitrium beam to lure the parasites to the field. Unfortunately, the parasite is eating away at the warp system, and the life support system begins to fail. It is now up to Data to fly the ship to the asteroid field, configure the deflector, and rid the ship of the problem. Lwaxana finally proceeds with the wedding. Campio, and especially Erko, are disturbed to find that the dress Homn tailored for her is not consistent with Betazoid customs, and she has arrived in the nude. She winks at Alexander, who remains respectful of her spirit. Erko covers Campio's eyes and they retreat. Lwaxana remains a bachelorette. Finally, Lwaxana, Alexander, Troi, and an irate Worf share a mud bath together. Memorable Quotes "Wedding gown? You mean you won't be naked at your own wedding!?" : - Deanna Troi "What would you like your father to promise, Alexander?" "No yelling." "I DO N --'' ...I do not yell." : - '''Troi', Alexander and Worf "You know, making little boys reasonable only gives them pimples." : - Lwaxana Troi "She thinks the honor of giving away the bride should fall on you." "... Permission for an on-board wedding is granted, Number One. Nothing would please me more than to give away Mrs. Troi." : - Riker and Picard "There is no mystery, Deanna... Except about this... this Petrokian Sausage! Tea! All I wanted was a cup of tea! Oh Dear, I think your replicator is having a... a nervous collapse" : - Lwaxana Troi "A half hour then. No longer! I promise!" "Counselor Troi, have you no influence...?" "HAH!" : - Lwaxana Troi, Campio, and Deanna Troi Background Information * Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher) only appears in one scene and does not have any dialog in this episode. * Right after Lwaxana meets Alexander, Picard and Riker are walking together. The tip of a microphone can be seen above them and right after Riker looks directly at it. * Christopher Halsted later plays a Jem'Hadar in DS9's final episode, . * Toward the end of the episode when Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard) and Brent Spiner (Data) are in the turbolift bound for the Bridge, Patrick Stewart is clearly wearing only three pips. * If viewed on a display with no overscan it can be seen that Majel Barrett is, in fact, wearing clothing on set during the nude scene. * The voice-overs that give the effect of telepathic communication between Lwaxana and Deanna were edited in; one can hear abrupt changes and drops in Lwaxana's speech. The actress is leaving blank spaces as if reacting to telepathic communications that non-telepaths do not hear. Awards * This episode won two Emmy Awards. Only four other episodes of Trek have won this many. It won for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Costume Design for a Series (Robert Blackman) and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Series. It was also nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series. Links and References Guest Stars * Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi * Brian Bonsall as Alexander Rozhenko * Tony Jay as Campio * Carel Struycken as Mr. Homn * David Oliver as Young Man * Albie Selznick as The Juggler * Patrick Cronin as Erko Co-Stars * Tracey D'Arcy as Young Woman * George Ede as Poet * Christopher Halsted as First Learner * Majel Barrett as Computer Voice Uncredited Co-Stars *Holiday Freeman as Learner's Companion *Jennifer Richards as the Painted dancer *Tonya Chianis as the Fire sculptor ** Unknown actor as the wind dancer References Betazoid; Betazoid wedding; Hydrogen; Shiralea VI; Ten Forward; Tessen III; Pelloris field; Petrokian sausage; Nitrium; Parallax colony; contract; holodeck; Nitrium parasite; photon torpedo; chrondite; tractor beam; particle beam; deflector; Moselina system; Conference Of Judges; Kostolain; Holy Rings of Betazed; Sacred Chalice of Rixx; jestral tea; Protocol Master; Koropian princess; exanogen gas barrier; Bussard collector |next= }} Category:TNG episodes de:Hochzeit mit Hindernissen es:Cost of Living nl:Cost of Living